Notice of Board Meeting by Videoconference

  Hill College
  Thursday, March 26, 2020 12:00 PM
  General Events

Hillsboro, TX

Notice of Board Meeting
by Videoconference or Telephone
Call Hill College
March 26,2020


A videoconference meeting of the Board of Regents of Hill College will be held on March 31, 2020, beginning at 12:00 noon.

Due to health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 coronavirus, this meeting will be conducted by videoconference or telephone call. At least a quorum of the board will be participating by videoconference or telephone call in accordance with the provisions of Sections 551.122 or 551.127 of the Texas Government Code that have not been suspended by order of the governor.

NOTICE OF MEETING:

Due to the urgent public necessity and in light of the national declared emergency, the meeting will be held through electronic means in accordance with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and White House's stringent guidelines and recommendations to maintain the public health. Further, pursuant to Governor Abbott's temporary suspension of the requirement related to the location of a quorum issued on March 16, 2020, the quorum will not be present at any one location, rather, the quorum will be participating through videoconferencing.

  1. The board meeting may be viewed on line as Members of the public may access this meeting as follows: To connect using ZOOM (click on the web link below):
    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://zoom.us/j/530613129
    Meeting ID: 530 613 129
  2. Members of the public may access this meeting as follows:
    To connect using ZOOM (click on the web link below):
    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://zoom.us/j/530613129
    Meeting ID: 530 613 129

 

  1. To connect using an iPhone: (Tap on one of the following):
    + 13462487799,,530613129# US
    +16699006833,,530613129# US

 

  1. To Connect Using any Other Phone:
    Dial one of the following:
    + 1 346 248 7799 US
    +1 669 900 6833 US
    + 1 646 558 8656 US
    + 1 253 215 8782 US
    +1 301 715 8592 US
    +1 312 626 6799 US

Enter Meeting ID: 530 613 129

An electronic copy of the agenda packet is attached to this on line notice.

Public comments related to this meeting will be handled as follows:

Members of the public who desire to address the board regarding an item on this agenda must comply with the following registration procedures:

If you would like to participate in public comment, you may participate via the above link and submit your information to the following email address prior to the Board meeting: pboehm@hillcollege.edu. The videoconferencing will allow for two-way communications. Your name will be called upon to speak during public comments and all limitations set for in Board Policy BDB (LOCAL) will apply. Additionally, a recording of the meeting will be posted online as soon as possible after the conclusion of the meeting.

The open portions of this meeting will be recorded and made available to the public upon request.

The subjects/action item to be discussed or considered or upon which any formal action may be taken are listed below.

Consideration of approval of a resolution of the Board of Regents of Hill College regarding various matters associated with the COVID-19.

If, during the course of the meeting, discussion of any item on the agenda should be held in a closed meeting, the board will conduct a closed meeting in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, chapter 551, subchapters D and E or Texas Government Code section 418.183{f). Before any closed meeting is convened, the presiding officer will publicly identify the section or sections of the Act authorizing the closed meeting. All final votes, actions, or decisions will be taken in open meeting.

This notice was posted in compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act on March 26, at 12:00 noon.

Dr. Boehm signature






A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF HILL COLLEGE REGARDING VARIOUS MATTERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COVID-19 VIRUS

 

WHEREAS,  the Hill College ("HC" or the "College") Board of Regents ("Board") recognizes that Federal, State, and Local officials have declared a pandemic and emergency regarding the spread of coronavirus/COVlD-lg ("COVID-l9") and that HC's service area is within the areas where a pandemic and emergency has been declared;  

WHEREAS, on March 13,2020, the Governor of the State of Texas declared a statewide emergency, and, later that same day, the President of the United States declared a national emergency regarding COVID- 19;

WHEREAS, the HC Board recognizes that COVID-19 is an unforeseen and unavoidable emergency of urgent public necessity, that the World Health Organization has declared COVID19 as a pandemic, and that additional emergency declarations may follow in the coming days and weeks;

WHEREAS, the HC Board has a substantial public interest in protecting the health and
safety of its students, staff, and community and therefore desires to ensure that the College District
and community are prepared to the fullest extent possible to protect the health and safety of
students, staff, and the community in light of COVID-l9;

WHERAS, the HC Board seeks to retain employees, reduce turnover, increase morale, help employees focus on work-related matters while at work, and facilitate the return of employees to normal operations, and believes that an additional public purpose exists in doing so; 

WHEREAS, the HC Board believes the public purposes described above are fulfilled by efficiently and effectively making certain delegations, as described more fully herein, to the President to address the ever-and-constantly changing emergency situation in the best interest of the health, safety, and well-being of its students, staff, community, and the citizenship at-large;

WHEREAS, HC Board is of the opinion and finds that it retains sufficient controls in order to ensure that such public purposes are accomplished; and

WHEREAS, the President and Board will regularly monitor the procedures outlined to confirm that the public purpose herein is being served;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:

  1. That the findings and recitals in the preamble of this Resolution are hereby found to be true and correct and are hereby approved, ordered, and adopted.
  1. That the HC Board finds a substantial public purpose in protecting the health and safety of its students, staff, and community - and therefore in ensuring that the College District and community are prepared to the fullest extent possible to protect the health and safety of students, staff, and community in light of COVID-l9.
  1. That reasonable adequate controls are in place to ensure that such benefits will be received by the College.
  1. That the HC Board finds a public purpose also exists in retaining its employees, reducing turnover, increasing morale, helping employees focus on work-related matters while at work, and facilitating the return of employees to normal operations.
  1. In furtherance of the public purposes so stated in this Resolution, the HC Board makes the following delegations to the President in order to efficiently and effectively prepare the
    College District in response to the declarations of emergency announced by the United States, the State of Texas, and local entities, as well as, in preparation for the potential declarations of additional emergencies by other local, state, and/or national and international entities :
    1. The authority to act and make wage payments to any employees during altered operations and/or a College closure, to implement all related procedures, and to make determinations regarding the purpose and parameters of any such payments;
    2. The authority to make decisions regarding the compensation, if any, of full-time and part-time employees, both exempt and non-exempt, who may be required to report to work or to work remotely during altered operations and./or a College closure, and to implement those decisions;
    3. The authority to determine work days and hours, if any, for all employees during altered operations and/or a College closure;   The authority to implement an educational program for students during altered
      operations and/or a College closure;
    4. The authority to implement an educational program for students during altered operations and/or a College closure;
    5. The authority to alter the HC calendars, academic or otherwise, by changing and/or adding campus/instructional hours and work/campus days as necessitated by altered operations and./or a College closure or related concerns;
    6. The authority to create guidelines and make determinations regarding absences, leave time, leave days, and compensation of any employee who is quarantined as a result of COVID-19 and/or who tests positive for COVID-19 and who presents appropriate medical documentation regarding themselves and/or an immediate family member, in the sole discretion of the President or her designee, in compliance with Texas and Federal law;
    7. The authority to seek any necessary waivers from the Texas Higher Education Board, SACSCOC, and/or any other accreditation or certification agency, without further action of the Board regarding missed instructional days, low attendance, or any matters related to altered operations and/or a College closure as part of this Resolution;
    8. The authority to declare a catastrophe and take all actions as appropriate in accordance with Texas Government Code Section 552.233 regarding temporary suspension of the Texas Public Information Act;
  1. That the (1) emergence of COVID-l9 and its spread constitute and unforeseen emergency/matter of urgent public necessity; (2) the delays posed by competitive procurement of contracts necessary to restore, replace and/or repair equipment, property, and"/or school facilities will prevent or substantially impair the conduct of classes or other essential College activities causing a potential health and/or safety concern; and (3) the President and her designee(s) are authorizedto procure, negotiate and execute contracts for goods and services that are necessary to mitigate, prevent, restore, and repair damage caused to HC equipment, property, and facilities or to protect the safety of HC students and employees; and (4) the President shall inform the Board of all emergency purchases made hereunder at the next regular Board meeting following such purchases.
  1. The President and/or designee(s) will provide timely and reasonable information to the Board with regard to decisions made pursuant to this Resolution.
  1. This Resolution shall remain in effect until rescinded by Board Action at a duly called Board meeting, or on December 31, 2020, whichever occurs first.
  1. This Order and Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its passage.

PASSED AND ADOPTED this 31st day of March, 2020.

 

By:                                                                          _

David Teel, President, Board of Regents of the Hill College

 

ATTEST:

By:                                                            _ Karen Brackin, Secretary, Board of Regents of the Hill College